For a man who spent nearly three decades of his adult life in prison, Nelson Mandela left not only an indelible mark on world history, but in our pop-culture consciousness, as well. A symbol of apartheid, of oppression and suppression, but ultimately of freedom, Mandela become an icon in the truest sense of the word. He died Thursday (Dec. 5) at the age of 95.

The impact began during those decades of imprisonment and carries through to this very month, which will see the wider release of a belated theatrical biopic, “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” starring Idris Elba. The film broke box-office records on its first day of release in South Africa. (A New Orleans release date is pending, though it has screened at the New Orleans Film Festival and was shown to college kids earlier this week at the Prytania.) The movie is based on Mandela’s 1995 autobiography of the same name.

Until then, Mandela had been portrayed in TV movies such as “Mandela” (1987) starring Danny Glover and “Mandela and de Klerk” starring Sidney Portier. While not a biography, Clint Eastwood’s 2009 “Invictus” stars Morgan Freeman as Mandela when, during his one term as president, he supported the South African rugby team in its run at the World Cup title. Spike Lee capitalized on Mandela’s release from prison by featuring him in a cameo in the coda to 1992’s “Malcolm X,” casting him as a Soweto school teacher lecturing students on the slain civil rights leader.

Throughout his imprisonment, Mandela served as an artistic muse, especially in music. Musically, he inspired such works as British ska band The Special AKA's’ 1984 protest song "Free Nelson Mandela" (with its gospel-flavored backup vocals) and instrumentals such as Santana’s “Mandela” and Abdullah Ibrahim’s “Cape Town Flower.” Essays have been written about the cultural relevance of Paul Simon’s seminal (and to many, controversial) “Graceland” album (1986), with its allusions to apartheid, including this excellent examination by the great rock critic Robert Christgau.

Indeed, Mandela didn’t have to be referenced directly in music that drew artistic inspiration from the fight against apartheid, as many of the songs on this Los Angeles Times collection prove. It should be noted that no less than Stevie Wonder’s “It’s Wrong” (in 1985) protested apartheid, and Wonder went to be arrested at a rally in Washington, D.C. When he won the Academy Award for “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” he dedicated the song to the still-imprisoned leader.

The Idris Elba biopic couldn’t arrive at a more appropriate time. But Mandela's impact on world culture probably won’t end with an Oscar-season holiday movie release. Through music and film and beyond, Nelson Mandela will continue to evoke and inspire as a pop-culture icon.